It’s May, signifying the arrival of Mental Health Awareness Month. Taking care of your mental health is critically important to one’s well-being and lifestyle, or mental health can lead to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, erratic mood swings, bipolar disorder, and many other conditions. With that being said, your mental, behavioral, and emotional wellbeing is more important than anything else. Period. More important than tests and grades, no matter how hard it is to believe. Without a good, healthy mindset, it’s impossible to enjoy life and make the most out of it.

This may seem like common sense, but in reality, many people, especially teenagers and high schoolers, are led to believe that other things are more important than taking care of yourself, such as many students thinking that grades are the most vital aspect of life. I’m not trying to downplay the importance of receiving good marks, because that is obviously important as well, but solely focusing on academics is not everything. There is so much more to life than high school, tests, and studying, so one should learn how to maximize life earlier rather than later.

There are many ways to deal with poor mental health, and to help better one’s condition if they are suffering from the symptoms of a bad mental state. A helpful way of dealing with a bad mindset is opening up about it, whether it is to parents, a life coach, or a therapist. People will be there to listen to those who are ailing, to absorb information, and to help deal with the struggles that one can have in life. It can’t really be emphasized just how important opening up about problems to someone else willing to listen is; it can leave someone feeling better about life by just letting out all the frustrations they have, and after letting out their thoughts and emotions, it can seem as if a massive weight is off them.

Secondly, seeking therapy can be incredibly essential to one’s mental well-being. Therapy can provide a safe space for those looking to vent about issues or problems with a professional who is willing to listen and help people through hard times. In addition to being a safe space, therapists are also known for implementing helpful techniques to deal with problems that people have. Therapy can help individuals overcome anxiety, depression, and addiction, while also establishing better emotional balance in life. According to a study done by Dr. Fatih Ozbay, social support can help build resilience against stress. Additionally, talking to someone can help clear the mind and find purpose in life. Simply venting can increase confidence and bring peace of mind.

A third option can be using coping tools to help with a muddled mental state. Simple activities, such as exercising, can make a big difference, especially writing about thoughts that one may have. Journal therapy can help a lot, as it is another way to simply let go of the feelings that someone can experience by putting them on paper. It’s a lot more beneficial than it seems. Like actual therapy, writing can help better one’s mental stability and let them think straight.

As I was writing this, I thought of those who might think about my credibility; how would I know what is best for people in dark places, going through rough patches in life? I’m sure that I left out other mechanisms that can help, but if I listed every single thing, this piece would be extremely long, so I decided to just narrow this down to the three things I believe are the most effective in dealing with bad mental health. I’m writing this as someone who has dealt with this problem that affects so many people my age, even if most don’t really express it. Earlier this year, I was in a really dark place mentally and emotionally, and it felt like I wouldn’t be able to escape this place. I was having frequent anxiety attacks, and was really stressed out by many things, especially school and the pressure to keep getting high marks. My mind began to get polluted with toxic beliefs. Then, I decided to open up about my struggles after having so many dark, negative thoughts piled up in my head.

That was the best decision I’ve ever made.

After talking about my bad mental and emotional state to my parents, I began talking to a therapist and implementing coping tactics in my daily life. As a result, I feel as if I’ve improved a lot mentally and emotionally. Sure, negative thoughts can still pop up occasionally, but they don’t pollute my mind as often as they used to. For the first time in what feels like forever, it feels as if life actually means something to me, and it’s really a beautiful feeling to have. I also learned another thing that applies to everyone; your existence matters. There are people out there that love you dearly. You have a purpose in life, something to achieve in your time on this world. Whether you go through this in the future or if you have already gone through this, everyone experiences these rough patches eventually. And when you do, there will be people there to help support you and to guide you out of a dark place whenever you find yourself in one.

Millions of people around the world go through the same problems that continue to affect me, and many of them make the decision to mask their emotions in public, instead keeping to themselves and having scary thoughts pile up in their mind. For those not currently struggling with behavioral and mental problems, please reach out to those that may be going through hard times. Even a simple “Are you okay?” can make a big difference. If you reach out to people that seem to be struggling, their morale can be boosted just from the fact that someone is willing to reach out and try and help them improve their condition.

With that being said, I would like to reiterate the main point of this piece: your mental health is the most important thing you need to take care of in your life. Without a healthy mindset, one can’t live life the way they want to or enjoy their existence. Many, many people go through these problems day after day, and despite how cliche it may sound, there is hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. Things will get better, no matter how hard times may be.

Be kind to yourself, no matter how hard it may be. There is only one you.

You matter.